Wednesday, November 19, 2025
Trump defends Saudi crown prince over Khashoggi killing
https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2025/11/18/saudi-prince-trump-visit-white-house
Mohammed arrived to a grand welcome from Trump at the White House on Tuesday, greeted at the South Portico with an Army honor guard of black horses and herald trumpeters, a remarkable turnaround for the de facto ruler of Saudi Arabia who had been branded a pariah in 2018 after the CIA concluded that he had approved the killing of Khashoggi.
Trump’s embrace of the crown prince despite U.S. intelligence warnings of his complicity in Khashoggi’s murder recalled a similar moment in Trump’s first term, when he said he took Russian President Vladimir Putin’s vow over a U.S. intelligence assessment that the Kremlin interfered in the 2016 elections.
Mohammed’s arrival was filled with more pomp than for any world leader thus far in Trump’s second term. Trump treated Mohammed to a flyover of six F-15 and F-35 fighter jets that streaked across the Washington sky, as large American and Saudi flags fluttered from the black horses of an Army honor guard that walked across the South Lawn in procession. Trump escorted the crown prince into the White House, where the two leaders met in the Oval Office before a working lunch and then a grand dinner.
Khashoggi’s widow responds to Trump calling him ‘extremely controversial’
https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/5611401-khashoggi-widow-slams-trump/?tbref=hp
When asked about Khashoggi’s death, the president defended Crown Prince Mohammed, telling reporters that the leader “knew nothing about that” and alleging “a lot of people didn’t like that gentleman.”
He also slammed a journalist from ABC News who pressed the crown prince for an answer on the subject.
“Your Royal Highness, the U.S. Intelligence concluded that you orchestrated the brutal murder of a journalist, 9/11 families are furious that you are here in the Oval Office,” White House correspondent Mary Bruce asked. “Why should Americans trust you? And the same to you, Mr President.”
Gaza today is repeat of 1982 Beirut: Washington is legitimizing Hamas just like the PLO
https://www.jpost.com/opinion/article-874281
The story about a few hundred Hamas fighters trapped in the tunnels of Rafah is not much different. They could just surrender and then be repatriated to some Arab or Muslim countries. But the story is developing along the line of Beirut.
The American administration has been applying constant pressure on Israel to allow the trapped terrorists a victorious march, perhaps even with their weapons, out of the tunnels to freedom. As the result of the “deadlock” around this issue, Mr. Witkoff is about to directly meet Hamas representatives again to discuss possible solutions. Why he needs to meet with the heads of a terror organization directly and not through the “trusted” channels of Turkey and Qatar is explained as the penchant of the president for direct diplomacy.
It is also clear that the legitimization of Hamas, as a serious and recognized negotiating partner, is underway and perhaps has already been completed. That may explain why the president of the United States would personally guarantee the safety of Hamas leadership in Qatar. Those guarantees go beyond what president Reagan offered Yasser Arafat back in 1982. Then, Israel had no direct commitments to the United States and did strike at the PLO in Tunisia later when the situation demanded action.
The Art of a Deal With Saudi Arabia
It wasn’t long ago that Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, or MBS, was declared a “pariah” in Washington. President Biden came to regret his remark to that effect as soon as he needed help on oil prices and diplomacy. By contrast, President Trump needs no reminders of the importance of U.S.-Saudi relations. The question after Tuesday’s love-in at the White House is whether he suffers from the opposite excess.
Mr. Trump showed the visiting Crown Prince a portrait of a Biden autopen signature, before saying ABC News should lose its license for unfriendly questioning. Not an advertisement for democratic values. On the substance, MBS knew what he wanted on this trip, and it seems he will go home with much of it.
Trump claims slain journalist Khashoggi was ‘extremely controversial,’ defends Saudi crown prince
https://edition.cnn.com/2025/11/18/politics/khashoggi-murder-trump-bin-saudi-crown-prince
President Donald Trump on Tuesday angrily dismissed a question about the 2018 murder of Jamal Khashoggi, claiming the Saudi dissident journalist was “extremely controversial” and insisting the subject was only raised during his meeting with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to embarrass his visitor.
“You’re mentioning somebody that was extremely controversial. A lot of people didn’t like that gentleman that you’re talking about. Whether you liked him or didn’t like him, things happen,” Trump said in the Oval Office as he presided over a pageant-filled visit for the de facto Saudi leader.
Trump went on to insist Prince bin Salman — who the CIA assessed likely ordered the murder — wasn’t involved.
“He knew nothing about it, and we can leave it at that,” Trump said, turning toward the crown prince.
Epstein Files: Bill Clears Senate After 427–1 House Vote
https://www.newsweek.com/epstein-trump-emails-house-vote-today-victims-live-updates-11063917
The Senate moved quickly Tuesday to approve legislation requiring the Justice Department to release records tied to its case against Jeffrey Epstein. The vote came just hours after the House overwhelmingly advanced the measure, sending it toward President Donald Trump’s desk.
The House passed the Epstein Files Transparency Act on a 427-1 vote earlier Tuesday
The Senate followed by unanimous consent, avoiding a roll call and speeding approval
The bill directs the Justice Department to disclose unclassified records related to Epstein
Aguda Woodstock Speaker Lineup Released, w/ R Sholom Kamenetsky listed as addressing 3 forums
https://www.agudahaction.com/#/?affl=general
1) Rabbonim and Morei Derech (column 1);
2) Mental Health Professionals (column 2);
3) Kallah Teachers (column 2).
A Washington humiliation leaves Trump more politically exposed on Epstein than ever before
https://edition.cnn.com/2025/11/19/politics/trump-epstein-files-release-house-senate-analysis
Donald Trump is reeling from a spectacular defeat, easily his worst from his own party on Capitol Hill during two turbulent presidencies, after every step he took to stall and deflect the Jeffrey Epstein saga blew up in his face.
Beyond the difficulty of next steps for Trump, there are the questions of how much political damage he’s suffered in recent days, both within his own party and personal power base and in the country more broadly.
Tuesday, November 18, 2025
Reviving the Dead
Bava Basra (74b) Once we were travelling on board a ship when we saw a precious stone that was surrounded by a snake. A diver descended to bring it up. Thereupon the snake approached with the purpose of swallowing the ship, when a raven came and bit off its head and the waters were turned into blood. A second snake came, took the head of the decapitated snake and attached it to the body, and it revived. Again the snake approached intent on swallowing the ship. Again a bird came and severed its head. Thereupon the diver seized the precious stone and threw it into the ship. We had with us salted birds. As soon as we put the stone upon them, they took it up and flew away with it.
Megila (7b) Rabbah and R. Zera joined together in a Purim feast. They became inebriated, and Rabbah arose and cut R. Zera's throat. On the next day he prayed on his behalf and revived him. Next year he said, Will your honour come and we will have the Purim feast together. He replied: A miracle does not take place on every occasion.
Resurrection outside Israel
Kesubos (111a) The dead outside the Land will not be resurrected; for it is said in Scripture, And I will set glory in the land of the living, implying the dead of the land in which I have my desire will be resurrected, but the dead of the land in which I have no desire will not be resurrected.
Kesubos (111a) Thy dead shall live, my dead bodies shall arise; does not the expression ‘Thy dead shall live’ refer to the dead of the Land of Israel, and ‘My dead bodies shall arise’ to the dead outside the Land; while the text, And I will give glory in the land of the living was written of Nebuchadnezzar concerning whom the All-Merciful said, ‘I will bring against them a king who is as swift as a stag’? — The other replied: Master, I am making an ex position of another Scriptural text: He that giveth breath unto the people upon it, and spirit to them that walk therein. But is it not written, My dead bodies shall arise? — That was written in reference to miscarriages
Kesubos (111a) And spirit to them that work therein teaches, said R. Jeremiah b. Abba in the name of R. Johanan, that whoever walks four cubits in the Land of Israel is assured of a place in the world to come. Now according to R. Eleazar, would not the righteous outside the Land be revived? — R. Elai replied: They will be revived by rolling to the Land of Israel. R. Abba Sala the Great demurred: Will not the rolling be painful to the righteous? — Abaye replied: Cavities will be made for them underground.
Kesubos (111a) Thou shalt carry me out of Egypt and bury me in their burying-place. Karna remarked: There must be here some inner meaning. Our father Jacob well knew that he was a righteous man in every way, and, since the dead outside the Land will also be resurrected, why did he trouble his sons? Because he might possibly be unworthy to roll through the cavities.
Ressurrection of the Dead
Rabbeinu Bachya (Bereishis 11:11) “these are the descendants of Shem.” You do not find the word death, or “the died,” in connection with any of the descendants of Shem who have been enumerated here as you find it mentioned when the Torah enumerated the generations between Adam and Noach. It is possible that the reason is that the kingdom of David the Messiah will be descended from them, and in due course the Messiah will be the cause of banishing death altogether. When he comes it will be 837 to the completion of 6000 years. After 837 years will begin thr 7000th year when everything will be peaceful and life will be forever. Non Jews will not be resurrected but only we Jews the descendants of Shem
Federal judge blasts potential ‘government misconduct’ in Comey case
A U.S. magistrate judge ordered the Justice Department to release all grand jury material to the former FBI director, citing possible government misconduct that could lead to the dismissal of charges.
Gaza proves you can't solve everything with business deals
https://www.israelhayom.com/opinions/gaza-proves-you-cant-solve-everything-with-business-deals
Once, before dreaming of the presidency, Donald Trump confessed he was "drawn almost pathologically to complex deals, partly because they tend to be more interesting." This approach succeeded spectacularly and almost miraculously for him and for us in securing the release of hostages from Gaza, both living and deceased. Yet concerning Phase 2 of the Gaza ceasefire agreement, the notion of "the complex and interesting deal" has emerged, at least for now, as either a fiasco or an illusion. It displays excessive naivety or pretense, occasionally drifting into fantasy territory. We harbor no ingratitude toward the man without whom the hostages would almost certainly continue languishing in Hamas tunnels today. However, we cannot escape the obligation to confront reality honestly, and most importantly, to comprehend how it emerged.